Ginny hustled down the corridor following Draco, Professor Snape and Mr. Snape. She threw an apologetic glance to Harry, Hermione and Ron; who nodded solemnly that they understood.

Draco paused a few times to allow her to catch up, but, overall, she was trailing behind the much taller men and their enormous gaits.

As the men turned another corner deep in the dungeons, Ginny heard a whispering voice.

"Ginny…," it whispered.

Ginny stopped and looked around. She saw no one nearby; so, she turned to the portraits. There, on the far wall, was a portrait of a man. He had sandy brown hair that was shoulder length and well coifed. He had a tuft of hair, the same color as the hair on his head, on his chin and in a moustache. His coloring was fair and his eyes were an enchanted sapphire blue. She walked up to the portrait and politely inquired if he had said her name. The man in the portrait shook his head in a negative manner and shrugged.

Ginny thanked him for his time and began walking down the hall.

She walked up to a portrait of an elderly woman sitting in a wooden rocking chair. She was knitting a rather large sweater. The sweater was green and silver, which Ginny took to be Slytherin colors since the portrait was located in the dungeons. The woman was working diligently on the knitting, humming to herself and rocking to and fro.

Ginny cleared her throat and began, "Excuse me ma'am, but did you call my name?"

The woman paused in her rocking, knitting and humming. She looked Ginny in the eye and shook her head in a negative manner. She then immediately resumed her knitting, humming and rocking.

Ginny continued down the corridor and came to another portrait. This time, it was a red headed man with broad shoulders. He was sitting atop a horse and looked down his long, aristocratic nose to the happenings around him. The horse was black with a beautiful, full mane. The horse obviously loved its master and stood just as regal as the man did. Ginny walked up to the man on the horse and inquired if he had said her name.

"I am afraid not, dear maiden. Can I be of help?"

"I heard someone whispering my name. Have you heard anyone say, 'Ginny'?"

"I am afraid not. If I do, I shall let you know," he said in a matter of fact tone.

Ginny thanked him for his time and help. The man nodded and pulled on the reins of his horse. The horse did a formal curtsy and gave a soft neigh. Ginny laughed softly at their antics and again said thanks. She continued on and decided that she should probably catch up with the men.

She turned down the same corner the men had taken a few minutes before, but they were nowhere to be found. She hurried down to the end of the corridor and looked left then right. Again, none of the men were visible.

Then, she heard it again. "Ginny…," it whispered. She frantically looked around and saw only portraits, no ghosts or humans.

"What?" she loudly responded.

"I see you, Ginny"

"And?"

"I want you to know that the man from Myriddin has returned. He asked me to tell you that he knows who you are. You will be next."

"Next for what?" she inquired.

"For the coming attack…"

Ginny gasped at this and said, "Who are you? What are you talking about?"

"It's me, Ginny!"

"Who is me?" she screamed, with her eyes closed.

She felt someone grab her by the upper body and gently shake her. She screamed a high pitching wail, part of fright and part of frustration.

"Ginny, it is me, Draco. What the hell happened to you?"

Ginny quickly opened her eyes and saw that the person holding her was indeed Draco. She relaxed into his embrace and began crying. Draco pulled her closely and gently rocked her with them both sprawled on the stone floor. Professor Snape and Mr. Snape arrived a few seconds later looking very concerned.

"Draco, is she okay?" Professor Snape asked Draco as he walked up to the couple. He leaned over and put a hand on Draco's shoulder.

Draco looked up at his Head of House and shrugged. Ginny continued to sob.

"Is she hurt, Draco?" Professor Snape sharply inquired.

Draco mumbled that he did not know. Professor Snape motioned for Austerus Snape to come over and they extricated her from Draco's hold. They gently laid her down flat and began checking for injuries. As they did, Ginny screamed and fell into unconsciousness.

Draco cried out, "Ginny…," he dove for Ginny earnestly trying to reach her.

Professor Severus Snape found himself doing something he never could have imagined. He pulled his wand, pointed it at Draco and put a freezing spell on him.

The spell caused Draco to simply freeze mid-stride. He still retained all of his mental faculties and other motor skills.

Professor Snape, with his still brandished wand, turned and began running it along her legs. Austerus Snape had also brandished his wand and was checking her head and neck areas.

"Sweet Merlin!" Austerus exclaimed.

"What?" Professor Snape and Draco inquired simultaneously.

Mr. Snape continued running his wand over her head. He did this three more times. Then, he shook his head.

"Austerus?" Professor Snape inquired again.

"She has a fractured skull! You better get Madame Pomfrey here immediately."

"Draco, go now," Professor Snape harshly commanded to his pupil as he removed the freezing spell. Draco leapt from the floor and ran to the infirmary.

Meanwhile, Austerus and Severus Snape looked at each other with dread. Severus turned from his brother and stared at Ginny Malfoy and said, "Is it bad, Austerus?"

"Have a look, Severus…and yes, it is bad. What the hell happened to this girl? One minute, she was behind us; the next, she was gone. Then, we find her on the ground unconscious."

Severus Snape took his wand and centered it above Ginny's head. He muttered a few incantations and slowly moved the wand in a clockwise, circular motion. He repeated the motion and incantations three more times. After the fourth inquiry, Severus' wand dropped helplessly to his side and his head was dropped to his hands. He mumbled something, but Austerus could not understand him.

"Severus?" He prodded the obviously upset professor.

"I don't know how she is alive with a fracture like that. Madame Pomfrey best be here very soon."

Austerus nodded. He had seen how bad the situation was; he simply had not wanted to alarm Draco.

They sat there for what seem liked hours, but were actually only a few seconds.

Madame Pomfrey, Headmaster Dumbledore and Draco arrived at their sides.

Madame Pomfrey went straight to work; saying nothing to anyone. Professor Dumbledore kept a firm hold on a very distraught Draco.

Austerus and Severus backed up out of the way and stood along side Dumbledore and Draco.

After a few moments of Pomfrey working diligently on Ginny, she announced to the crowd that it was safe to move Ginny to the infirmary. She put a protection spell on the unconscious form of Ginny and levitated her down the corridors of Hogwarts heading to the infirmary with all the others following closely, but safely, behind.

Once there, Ginny was placed on a bed near the back of the room and Draco took the seat to her left. He grabbed her hand and began lightly rubbing his thumb over the top of her hand; tears silently running down his paler than normal cheeks.

Austerus left to inform Harry, Hermione and Ron that they were needed in the infirmary. Severus followed shortly there after to head to Professor Dumbledore's office to floo to the Weasley's home and retrieve Arthur, Molly and the rest of Ginny's family. Dumbledore turned, minutes later, to return to his office to contact St. Mungo's Hospital.

*******************The Burrow…a few minutes later**********************

Severus gracefully extracted himself from the large fireplace in the family room of the Burrow. He glanced around and was amazed at the comfort the room exuded.

He, trying to avoid scaring Molly Weasley out of her wits, gently announced that he was in their living room.

Molly, hearing Severus, yelled back, "Hullo Severus! I'll be right in. Have a seat and make yourself comfortable."

"Molly, this is important," Snape insisted.

"I'm sure it is. You never just drop by. I promise; I'll be right there." Molly responded.

Snape shook his head in exasperation and sat down on a sofa with a bright print and two homemade afghans in just as obnoxious colors.

Snape was looking morosely out the large picture window at the flowers swaying in the meadow when Molly entered the room.

"Severus?" she inquired.

"Molly, there is no easy way…"

"Oh God, which one?" Molly whispered in a Mother's knowing way.

"Molly, it is Ginny."

Molly shook her head in an understanding way and, with the ultimate calmness, walked over to the great fireplace. She reached into the small black mini-cauldron and withdrew a small handful of floo powder. She tossed in the small amount of powder and stuck her head in the fireplace.

"Arthur Weasley," she calmly said.

Moments later, Arthur Weasley's head was visible in the green fire.

"Molly, I told you I would probably be late tonight. There are so many raids these days...especially with Mad Eye Moody back on the force," Arthur chuckled out.

"Arthur, you need to come home. It is about Ginny."

"Move out of the fireplace. I'll be home immediately."

In an amazing 45 seconds, Arthur Weasley was dusting off the soot from his clothes, greeting his wife with a kiss and a hearty hello to Severus.

"Arthur…Molly, Ginny was in a meeting this morning with Draco, me, Austerus and several others. After the meeting, I requested Draco and Ginny to follow me to the dungeons. I wanted to properly introduce them to Austerus. They were following behind Austerus and me. When we arrived at the entrance of my chambers, she was missing. Draco took off with both Austerus and me on his heels. We found Ginny lying unconscious on the floor. Draco immediately began saying her name. She woke up briefly upon hearing Draco saying her name and then reverted back to unconsciousness. Austerus and I began checking her for injuries. Austerus found something. She has a fractured skull."

Molly clung to Arthur's hand and gasped, her right hand lifting to cover her mouth in horror.

Severus continued, "Madame Pomfrey got Ginny stabilized and into the infirmary. After leaving her in the care of Pomfrey and Dumbledore, I came here. That is all I know."

Arthur nodded, turned, picked up a large handful of floo powder, steered an upset Molly into the fireplace and yelled out, "Dumbledore's office." They disappeared in a green flame.

Severus followed a few seconds later.

********************Gryffindor Tower**********************

Austerus Snape was running down the corridors to Gryffindor Tower, as fast as his legs would carry him.

He knew, from being a pure blood and a member of wizard society, that the Weasleys were a close, tight knit family and that her brothers and parents would not react well to her being hurt, let alone death. And, that is what he feared; that Ginny was on the brink of death.

He halted his rampant thoughts when he came to the Fat Lady in a Pink Dress Portrait. She removed the lacy handkerchief from her face and asked for the password.

Austerus responded, "Gilderoy Lockhart was a loony."

The Fat Lady nodded and opened the passageway for Austerus. He lowered his head and walked through the opening. Once inside, he noticed that most of Gryffindor Tower was in the Common Room this evening and that they were currently staring at him in utter shock.

Just as he was about to ask for Ron Weasley, Hermione came forward and greeted him.

"Hullo, Mr. Snape, umm- can we help you?"

"Yes, I need to speak with Ron, Harry and you…privately."

"Of course, is everything all right?"

"Could you get Ron and Harry, please?"

Hermione gave a sharp nod and turned to go up the boy's staircase to the seventh year dorms. She harshly knocked on the door. She did not wait for an answer; she opened the door and entered.

The boys immediately began protesting. Apparently, they were in the middle of changing clothes. Ron was down to his boxers and Harry was in a T-shirt and boxers. They hastily scrambled for their clothes and threw them on.

"Okay Hermione, this better be good," Harry said.

"It is. Mr. Snape, from the meeting, is standing in the Common Room right now. He wants to speak with the three of us. So, get your rumps in gear and meet me there," she finished speaking, turned and walked back to the Common Room and let Mr. Snape know that they would be down momentarily.

The boys were down the stairs in record time. They halted in front of Mr. Snape.

Mr. Snape turned and walked through the open doorway.

The trio followed him out the door and stopped when he stopped. Mr. Snape did not speak until the portrait had swung closed.

Then, he very straightforwardly told them that Ginny was in the hospital; she was unconscious and no one seemed to know why.

The trio took off running with Mr. Snape hot on their heels.

Ron, with his long gait, arrived first and threw open the door to the infirmary. He burst in and looked for Ginny. He noted that there was a linen screen erected near the back of the large room; he headed directly to that area with Hermione and Harry on his heels.

He heard several voices speaking. He stepped around the screen and gasped.

He moved to stand at the end of her bed flanked by Harry and Hermione.

Ginny was lying on a bed and seemed to be as white as the sheets. Draco was holding her hand with one of his hands, while the other one softly rubbed the top of the held hand. He was crying.

Molly Weasley was sitting opposite of Draco and was holding Ginny's other hand. She was crying too.

Arthur was standing directly behind Molly and was rubbing her shoulders in a comforting manner. He looked as if he was about to start crying.

Professor Snape was standing off to the side behind Draco. His face lacked its usual sneer.

Mr. Snape moved past the trio to stand near Professor Snape.

Madame Pomfrey, standing at the back of the room near her office, seeing that everyone seemed to be present; walked forward and began speaking, "Now that everyone is here; let me tell you what is wrong with Mrs. Malfoy."